The Calm Before The Storm
by MolleyArrow
Summary: Despite her reluctance, Peridot decides to join Steven and their friends at his summer cottage. Everything seems fine, until Steven introduces Lapis, a former acquaintance of Peridot and on bad terms from past events. The two are forced to either reconcile, or re-ignite an old feud. Little did they know that new feelings would arise. Lapidot. Modern A/U
1. Sunrise (Prologue)

**Disclaimer: Hi all. This is my first SU fanfic, and I just wanted to get it out of my system. This fanfic will focus on Lapidot as a romantic pairing and is rated T for now (but it is subject to change in the future)**

 **In addition, cover image creds go to BeautySnake, the original artist. I do not own any of the characters. This is the prologue, and I will be posting further chapters shortly.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _~0~_

Sunrise

"Peridot"?. "Perrriii?". "Anyone home?". "Helloooo?"

"Amethyst, cut it out!". "You'll make her mad!"

"Aw, I'm just teasing!" "She doesn't mind, right?"

The dialogue that took place rallied back and forth among the two teens in the back seat of the car. Their subject, Peridot, had one on either side and was sandwiched between them- literally. The short blond said nothing in reply, merely sighing in annoyance as she resumed thumbing through the pages of her novel.

Nose in book, Peridot continued to pick up where she'd been interrupted, but was prodded at again by the stubby finger of the ashen haired girl to her right. Peridot lowered her book to shoot a darting glare in Amethyst's direction, intense emerald eyes meeting impish violet ones.

"What Amethyst?"

"I've got a joke. Why did the hipster burn his mouth on the pizza?"

Peridot looked unimpressed, her expression weighing down further as Amethyst held back a fit of laughter.

"Because he ate it before it was cool", and with this, she elbowed Peridot as though to signal the punchline. Peridot groaned in irritation, triggering Amethyst to laugh in response. To her left, Steven eventually joined in.

"Hey, I've got one! What do you call a fish with no eyes?" A fsh." Steven made sure to place extra emphasis on the "shh" as he leaned in over Peridot to ensure Amethyst would hear. The two were then thrown into a whirl of laughter, occasionally nudging a now defeated Peridot who couldn't even spare a moment to progress in her reading amid high pitched giggling.

 _"How did I get this far?"_ Peridot told herself mentally, slumping in her seat.

But she knew the answer to that question all too well. Of all the constant pleas and begging that she come along to Steven's annual cottage retreat, such as "Peridot, you gotta come! Pleeeeaaassee?", and "if you don't come, I'll continue to spam you with cat videos", she knew she couldn't put up a fight. Of all the events she'd opted out of, this one was apparently worthwhile enough for Steven to insist that she come along too.

"And everyone will want you there!" He'd say, or "We'll all be thinking of you when you're not around to have fun with us!". Eventually, after the gazillionth attempt, she eventually, with reluctance, said she'd try and make it.

Apparently, that was enough of a "Yes" for Steven, so it seemed.

 _"Oh right, now I remember",_ she'd told herself yet again while pinching the bridge of her bespectacled nose with her thumb and forefinger.

With that in mind, Peridot accepted the path where fate led her, or in this case her own piss poor decision making. She'd much rather spend the bulk of her summer reading up on microbiology and regenerative medicine, her latest interest of study fit for her studious mind. The fresh air out by the lake was no match for the dusty scent of old books, but she'd never admit that. Especially not to Steven.

"Steven" she thought. "He'd be really hurt if I told him that".

She thought for a minute as to how eager Steven looked when he saw her pull up in his driveway, things at hand for the next 4 weeks ahead. She reminded herself of the group's warm reception to her simply being there, getting slapped on the back by Amethyst after she didn't believe she'd actually show up, but glad she came around to it. She also told herself of the fact that she even had friends at all, friends who actually gave a damn about her.

Why take that for granted?

 _"Nevermind what I told myself. I'll find a way to make the most of this, whatever that means."._

Unbeknownst to Peridot, her train of thought went on long enough that both Steven and Amethyst had fallen asleep on either side of her. They must've gotten bored from all the lame jokes they were spewing out a mile a minute.

Though some were pretty clever, she had to admit.

As she focused upon a point in space, she watched the array of trees pass by through the car window, touching the horizon of clear skies overhead . Like painter's strokes, the hues shifted in subtle ways that made the natural landscape worthy of appreciation, in all its fine detail...

"...Peridot? You there?" "Peridot..?"

"Huh..?"

"You alright back there? We shouldn't be more than 20 minutes from now..."

It was Pearl, A close family friend of the Universe's and Steven's Godmother. She was trying to capture the girl's attention as she watched her in the rear-view mirror.

"Yeah, I'm alright, thanks". Peridot replied sheepishly. The trip was surprisingly longer than she'd expected, only realizing now.

"That's good to hear. Glad you've been able to keep up this long, because clearly you outran the other two", she remarked, implying Steven and Amethyst who were still both fast asleep.

"Yeah..".

From there, Pearl resumed her fixation on the road ahead. Peridot locked her gaze onto the moving landscape, becoming progressively more beautiful as they neared their destination (so she had thought, anyway).

She wondered what more there would be upon their arrival, and she tried to imagine the possible outcomes of what that could entail. For the first time, Peridot was eager to know of all that could transpire during their time at the cottage.

And exactly what would transpire, she'd haven't the faintest idea.

~End of Prologue~


	2. This isn't going to work

**Hi all. Just wanted to mention that this chapter is going to be a little long. I did this mostly as a way to introduce as much to the main story line as possible, especially since I can't predict when I'll be able to update next. Subsequent chapters from here won't be as lengthy, unless you don't mind it that way. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _~1~_

This isn't going to work

"Peridot, could you lend me a hand?"

Peridot, her back leaning against the van, closed her book to look up at Pearl. They'd just arrived at the cabin, and Steven and Amethyst had already ditched them to go hangout on the balcony.

Begrudgingly, she made her way to observe the contents of the trunk, stuffed to the brim with an assortment of bags, coolers and other garbage you'd expect to find on a camping trip.

"Do I have to?" she remarked after observing what she was summoned to help with.

"Is that a question?"

"...Obviously..."

"That's not what I… ugh. Could you please help me unpack? This is too much to handle for one person alone!"

Peridot let out a sigh, deciding that she ought to help her even if she wouldn't be of much use. She was a relatively small girl, and lifting wasn't exactly her strong suit.

"Oh Shoot", Pearl exclaimed with a huff. "Where did I put it? I know I remember leaving it somewhere…".

Mumbling to herself, she paused, eventually coming to a sudden realization.

"That's right, I gave it to Steven", she remarked, now remembering.

"Peridot, could you go up there and ask Steven to give me the key? I really need to open the trunk to start unloading the van".

Peridot nodded, proceeding to make her way up the steps to join the rest of the negligent ones. Steven and Amethyst were tossing a football back and forth across the stretch of the balcony, and despite the lack of breakable objects, they were being quite rough for such a small space.

"Go long Steven!" Amethyst shouted.

Steven gestured to catch the ball, signalling Amethyst to wind up her energy which sent the ball soaring. Steven made an effort to predict the ball's trajectory, only to have it barely slip his grasp as it landed on the neighbouring rooftop below.

All of a sudden, an old man arose from a panel in the roof and picked the football up, tucking it under his arm as he crawled back inside in a sketchy manner.

They both paused to mourn the death of their game of catch. R.I.P football.

"Hey, it's the Peridactyl" Amethyst remarked towards Peridot jokingly, only just realizing she'd been there the whole time.

"Um, okay" Peridot replied. "Listen, Pearl needs the key to the van".

"Ohh, right!" Steven replied. Amethyst? You have it on you?

"Uhh.. Gimme a sec". Amethyst searched in her pant pocket, retrieving a robust key that she held in the palm of her hand.

"Yo Peri, catch!", and with that she abruptly tossed it in Peridot's general direction, causing the small blond to react frantically to ensure it be caught. Nearly dropping it, she'd finally managed to secure it in the palm of her hand. Her awkward movements were apparently amusing though, since Amethyst only ever laughed at her.

"Haha, very funny. You're so predictable".

"You know it" Amethyst replied lazily, leaning against a support beam with her arms folded over her head. Peridot rolled her eyes, proceeding to walk down the steps back to van.

Steven and Amethyst continued to talk amongst themselves as they patiently waited. Garnet had the key to the cottage, and until she got there with the others, they were forced to wait outside until then.

"Hey Steven. When are Garnet and the others gonna get here? They're taking, like, forever".

"Pearl said they'd get here a little after we would", they shouldn't be much longer though".

"Kay". Amethyst idly replied. "it's just Ruby, Sapphire and Connie right? Wasn't there someone else you said would be coming?"

"Yeah! My friend Lapis is also gonna be with us", Steven cheerfully replied. "She said she's really looking forward to meeting everyone"

"Heheh, Fresh meat" Amethyst said mischievously.

Upon hearing that name, Peridot immediately stopped dead in her tracks. The thought of the name instantly created an association to something she'd reconciled with a long time ago… at least, so she thought. Did she hear them right?

 _"No, it can't be. It can't possibly be the same one. Is it?"_

Before Peridot had the chance to gather her thoughts, a blaring beep could be heard in the distance, approaching steadily like a broken crescendo of horns. A second car made its way into the narrow driveway, stopping abruptly in its tracks.

"THEY'RE HERE!" Steven and Amethyst loudly announced in unison, right into the ear of an overwhelmed Peridot. As they clumsily made their way down, Peridot studied the vehicle, leaning forward over the railing to get a closer look.

The door slid open. From it emerged a bespectacled girl about Steven's height, who Peridot recognized as Connie. She was followed by an energetic brunette, holding her hands out to escort a demure looking girl with coarse, ashen hair. She carefully made her way down, only to be straddled by the stocky brunette in a tight embrace only moments after.

Their names were Ruby and Sapphire, and the two had been glued at the hip from the moment they'd met a little over 2 years ago. It was often quite the task to keep the two apart, even for only a short while. Ruby continued to hold Sapphire tightly, barely able to curb her excitement. Connie reunited with Steven and Amethyst who'd begun to talk amongst themselves, exchanging playful conversation from what she could make out.

All of a sudden, Peridot's attention focused itself elsewhere.

Her eyes locked on a mysterious girl that appeared after disembarking from the passenger seat, standing demurely at the foot of the van. She was average height, if not slightly above, and wore a classic jersey tee with a standard pair of converse. Her jean shorts ended mid-thigh, and from what Peridot could detect, she was wearing a familiar baseball cap that carefully concealed wisps of blue hair underneath.

Arms folded over her chest, the slender girl observed her surroundings with a neutral expression, cerulean eyes piercing through whatever crossed her line of sight.

It was the Lapis, and Peridot was certain of this.

 _"Shit. It is her"._

The bluenette seemed to hold a calm and collected composure, but there was something oddly standoffish about it. It was if as though she'd seem fine standing in a room with people, but an invisible bubble would always exist in her midst, never letting anyone get too close. Looking at her carefully, Peridot sensed a rush of mixed feelings wash over her.

It was a strange blend that she couldn't place, one that ranged from anxiety, discomfort and a strange sense of fascination.

 _"What's going through your head, Lazuli?"_ Peridot told herself mentally. Why did she even want to know?

It was then that Lapis turned her head to look up towards the balcony, gaze conveniently landing in Peridot's general direction. Like a deer caught in the headlights, their eyes met only briefly before Peridot ducked down to avoid Lapis' stare.

 _"Damn, she saw me. Nice one Peridot. Not creepy at all"._

She lay crouched underneath the side table, hand covering her mouth as she thought of every worst possible case scenario. Like a theatrical production, Peridot was the lead act, and she had to get her lines just right. She rehearsed a number of possible dialogues in her head for when they'd finally encounter.

It would be the first time in two years.

Her train of thought was broken by series of approaching footsteps, scraping along the surface of treated wood. Connie emerged suddenly, Ruby right behind her as they made their way towards the entrance. The others followed, each carrying items from the trunk Peridot was supposed to help open.

She had one job.

"Peridot!" a nagging voice called out. It was Pearl's, frustrated by the looks of it. Peridot jumped, causing to bang her head from underneath the table. Wincing slightly, she awkwardly got up from where she was and quickly composed herself. The others didn't think much of it, aside from Amethyst who laughed yet again at her strange antics.

"I thought I'd asked you to get the key from Steven. I spent 15 minutes waiting for someone to show up!"

Peridot blushed, her cheeks staining lightly. In that next instant, a tall woman appeared and placed a hand atop Pearl's shoulder. The familiar grip belonged to Garnet, the leader of the group and eldest in the party of 9.

"Don't worry about it. I had the spare key, remember? No harm in a short wait" Garnet calmly remarked, pushing her sunglasses down to send a little wink in Peridot's direction. Peridot was surprised at this, but sent a small smile in return.

Garnet had her covered.

Pearl sighed out in defeat, slumping down slightly. "Oh, I suppose you're right". And with that, they made their way towards the entrance, Pearl gathering the bins and bags while Garnet searched for the key that opened the door.

Peridot let out a small sigh of relief. She was usually very reliable when given orders, but her mind had drifted elsewhere. Just then, the very cause of her distraction came in plain sight, Steven in her midst. He held her hand as they walked, talking at a mile a minute.

The bluenette, silent, took everything in, bearing a significantly softened expression in comparison to the one she'd had on before.

Peridot felt her stomach lurch as they approached, turning away to pretend she hadn't noticed them. She wondered how Lapis would react upon realizing she'd be there, forced to make some sort of fake introduction while the elephant in the room stood near. She suddenly felt a light tug at her shirt, turning around to find Steven by her side with Lapis in tow.

"Lapis, this is Peridot" He remarked while looking at her eagerly, hand outstretched as though to present the small blonde who stood there stiffly.

"She seems to know you, judging by the way she was so interested when I told her you were coming" Steven cheerfully remarked, causing Peridot to stiffen further as she shifted uncomfortably.

Lapis' gaze trailed over to meet Peridot's, her frigid stare sending a shiver down the small girl's spine as her eyes widened in disbelief. She spoke nothing, but her sharp gaze said more than enough as she continued to stare her down.

To fill the void of silence, like an automated robot, Peridot shuffled closer to break the awkwardness between them. Pausing briefly to search for the right words to say, she cleared her throat to recite her practiced lines.

"Um, it's good to see you again Lapis. It's sure been a while, hasn't it?". Peridot mustered a nervous smile.

 _So far so good, right? Smooth as Goddamn peanut butter_

Unresponsive, Lapis continue to stare at Peridot, but not in a friendly sort of way. Her demeanor was as cold as the colour of her hair, and the aura she gave off was uninviting and chilling. There was no doubt that her grudge was still there, but Peridot hadn't expected it to remain so fiercely.

She wouldn't let that intimidate her, though, despite her nervousness kicking in. She was about to open her mouth to say more, until Lapis turned to Steven and intercepted her.

"What is _she_ doing here?".

Lapis' tone was cold and distant. Peridot swallowed the lump in her throat, turning her gaze to look away out of embarrassment. She had a feeling something like this would happen, among the many scenarios she'd mapped out in her head.

Steven didn't know what to say. As though by some saving grace, Garnet finally managed to open the door after the last 25 attempts. The group hustled inside as they observed their surroundings, familiarizing themselves with where they'd be staying over the next few weeks.

"Oh look, the door's open haha" Steven remarked uncomfortably. "Why don't we all go inside and talk more later on?", and in saying this, he glanced towards Peridot, a look of confusion and concern on his face that said he wanted some answers. The three of them made their way inside to join the others, the tension still holding strong.

Amid the hustle of getting settled in, everyone searched for their rooms. Peridot turned to Steven, curious as to know who'd she be rooming with and where the room was. Lapis listened in as well.

"Funny you mention that" He remarked nervously. She sensed this, arching her brow up as he twiddled his thumbs hesitantly.

"Uh, well, I guess I should just show you guys". With that, he led the two of them upstairs after crossing the parlor to their left. They reached a door with a brass handle. Opening it wide, the space featured a simple layout with a window, two night tables, a dresser and other amenities you'd find in a room with a single large bed.

Peridot found it to be a nice setup for one of them, so she crossed her fingers that it would be hers.

 _"Peridot approved turf",_ she lamely told herself.

"Well, here's where you guys will be!" Steven said hesitantly. He tried to sound enthusiastic about it, but he could already sense the problem this would create.

Both girls froze, glancing at each other only briefly until Lapis spoke up.

"Uh uh, No way. Steven, can we talk about this? I am not rooming with her" Lapis stated bluntly , clearly making no effort to hide her resentment for Peridot.

Again, Steven was at a loss for words. "Uh, well, there's kinda no other rooms… available. Things just sorta worked out this way. Ruby with Sapphire, Pearl with Garnet, Amethyst with-"

"It's fine Steven", Lapis cut him short. "I just don't think this is going to work". With this, she glared at Peridot, causing her to look off to the side with an equally disatisfied look on her face.

"Wait Lapis! can't we talk about this?" Steven remarked, his voice trembling with worry. Lapis placed a gentle hand reassuringly atop his shoulder, smiling softly before making her way back downstairs. Steven and Peridot stood behind in her wake, both at a loss for words and a means to the situation.

"Sorry about this Peridot. Lapis can be a little distant, but she's usually really nice" Steven said, looking at Peridot sadly. "I just don't understand why she's acting this way".

"It's alright Steven" Peridot replied reassuringly. "Lapis and I don't exactly see eye-to-eye, and we've been on bad terms ever since we've last… interacted".

This seemed to work, as Steven sent a reassuring smile her way.

"Ok, but promise me one thing! Promise me you'll do your best to get along!".

Peridot looked at Steven, who seemed very serious as her grabbed her waist and looked up at her with large, sincere eyes. She thought for a moment, eventually letting out a sigh.

She didn't want to befriend Lapis by any means, but if it would make Steven happy, she had nothing to lose by at least attempting to fake it.

"Alright Steven" she said in defeat. "I promise I'll do my best".

He smiled widely, grabbing her tighter now. Peridot protested that he let go, and he made his way downstairs to help out with the rest of the unpacking.

 _"What have I gotten myself into"_ Peridot thought to herself as she constructed a game plan.

~.~

Throughout the rest of the day, the group managed to keep themselves occupied until sundown. The weather was beautiful, which made everything feel so serene.

The interaction between Peridot and Lapis, however, was anything but serene.

Peridot did all she could to instigate some form of meaningful interaction with Lapis, but she got nothing in return. Lapis either didn't respond, pretended not to hear or gave her another chilling stare before looking away. If she ever did respond, it was one word sentences, and nothing more.

Occasionally, like when the gang was out on a walk through the forest, Steven tried to intervene by attempting to find things that the two of them shared in common, such as being the same age and the kind of angst they must feel at 17.

Lapis only walked away, Peridot bringing her head to her palm in response to Steven's terrible but well intentioned attempt in making a connection. Trying was like facing two opposite ends of a magnet.

Pointless.

Peridot was disappointed, though, as to how much Lapis clutched onto something that happened well in the past. 2 years isn't a long time, but by the way Lapis was treating her, it was if as though she'd done some kind of unforgivable act.

It's not like she'd meant what she did, and she'd changed a lot since then.

She thought on this a little more before turning in for the night, lying down on the bed that was too big for her alone. She stared up at the ceiling, wondering what she might've said among the many shitty things that Lapis found to be the shittiest of all.

Suddenly, Lapis appeared in the doorway.

Her hair was out of place, but it looked strangely endearing and suited her well. She wore a pair of baby blue pajama bottoms and a simple white t-shirt with a cute graphic of a seahorse on it. Her shirt, rolled up just slightly, revealed a line of her bare skin.

Peridot looked at her longer than she should have, immediately looking away and back at her book when Lapis addressed her with a cold "what".

 _"The mute speaks_ " Peridot told herself, laughing at her own joke.

In her peripheral, Peridot could make out the slender girl cautiously approach her end of the bed. She stopped, and out of suspicion, Peridot looked up from her book to find her gaze meeting the blunette's once more.

She could sense the aggressive lack of trust in her stormy eyes, looking at her as though she was some sort of social disease. Peridot was actually starting to grow bothered by this, finding Lapis' charade to be getting a bit old and on the edge of just plain rude.

"I don't have a virus, and I'm not some freak who's going to murder you in your sleep either"

Lapis was surprised by her statement, grunting out in irritation as she crawled her way into bed. She made it a point to lie down over the edge to remain as far away from Peridot as possible. Peridot watched her during her pitiful balancing act, eventually falling off the side of the bed and onto the floor.

Peridot couldn't help but emit a brief snorted laugh over her stupid behaviour. She found it amusing, how hard she was trying to keep a distance from her. Lapis recuperated herself, this time settling in comfortably but always ensuring a large gap remain between the two.

"Don't you even think about coming over on my side" Lapis announced, breaking the silence. "I want to pretend that you aren't here so I can get some sleep". She proceeded to shut off her lamp, shifting to re-assume her preferred resting position.

"I didn't plan on it" Peridot replied dryly, eyes glued to the pages of her novel.

 _"Lazuli is really getting on my nerves"_ Peridot thought to herself. _"This whole fake friendship gameplan is gonna be harder than I thought"._

"Also, close your lamp. I can't sleep with the glare"

"I want to read"

"Turn. it. _Off_ " Lapis remarked again, this time with more force. Peridot, now frustrated, made it a point to set her book down abruptly, turn off her light and get under the covers.

Darkness filled the room, aside from rays of moonlight that seeped along the windowsill. The blonde huffed in frustration while trying to get comfortable, attempting to quell the aggravation bottled up inside. They lay down, divided between shared resentment and disdain, pushing them apart like a gravitational force field.

 _"Screw this. I should have never come to begin with. All of this could've been avoided"_

Peridot spent her final thoughts thinking of all the studying on microorganisms and genetics she'd be missing out on in exchange for this. She'd actually thought it'd be worth it, but not anymore.

This is how she'd spent her final thoughts before drifting off to sleep, resent and regret brewing inside her.

End of Chapter 1


	3. Better Left Unsaid

~2~

Better left unsaid

 **Heyo. Sorry for the wait on the updates! In the next chapter, we'll be getting more insight on Lapis' perspective on things, so stay tuned :P. Enjoy!**

* * *

Peridot hadn't slept well at all.

Her eyes, bloodshot, battled with the weight of her closing lids. She made up for it by allowing her active surroundings constantly jolt her, courtesy of Steven and Amethyst who were continuing to tell dumb jokes over breakfast.

As she sat, thoughts running through her head, she made an effort to eat at least something despite her non-existent appetite. This wasn't unusual for her; lack of hunger in the morning was a norm. However, this time was particularly obvious, so much so that Steven eventually noticed.

"Hey Peridot? You okay? Don't you like pancakes?". He sounded concerned.

"Huh?" Peridot remarked, lifting her heavy head to meet his eyes. "Oh, I guess so. I'm just not that hungry".

Her tone dropped, voice barely above a whisper. Her stomach lurched at the thought of eating the small stack in front of her, waiting to be eaten.

"Hey, you gonna eat those?", Amethyst remarked as she finished her fourth pancake. Or was it her fifth?

Without responding, Peridot pushed the plate across the table in her direction, placing a resting hand on her chin as she did so. Amethyst gladly accepted, proceeding to clean up whatever was left of it. Steven continued to look at Peridot, wondering what was going on through her mind for her to look so down.

Lapis, that's what.

She was still unsettled by their start on the wrong foot, but it grew into something more troubling than that. A pang of guilt over what she'd done rose again to the surface, something she seriously thought she'd grown to forget.

If she could only turn back the clock. Then, she would've handled things differently. You can't change the past, but you can at least try to make up for burnt bridges, right?

Apparently, Lapis didn't seem to think so.

In that same moment, the blue haired girl appeared at the foot of the stairs. She approached, pausing before taking a seat next to Steven, right across from Peridot. The blonde shifted in her seat uncomfortably, making an effort to avoid eye contact aside from the occasional glance from the corner of her eye.

"Lapis! Did you sleep well? Garnet and Pearl made super yummy pancakes!"

Steven leaned over towards Lapis as he said this, smiling at her with wide eyes and a sincere smile. Peridot watched the shift of emotion in Lapis' face, softening as she sent a tired smile back at him.

"Yeah, I did. Thanks for asking". She replied, her voice calm and collected.

The others continued to talk amongst themselves as they ate. Peridot's appetite showed no signs of improvement, but she started to notice the dryness in her throat. A water pitcher was across the table, placed conveniently near Lapis who sat solemnly in her seat.

"Could you pass the water?" Peridot remarked towards Lapis. The bluenette didn't even flinch, and no one seemed to notice. Peridot knew that she heard her perfectly well, though. She knew she was being ignored deliberately.

With that in mind, the blonde decided to make her way around the table to get it herself, hovering over lapis as she did so. Getting back in her seat, her eyes met Lapis' cold gaze, her expression bearing a twinge of disgust as she stared the blonde down...Over a Goddamn glass of water.

It took all of Peridot's willpower not to say anything. Her frustration was only building up at this point.

"Uh Peridot. Did you sleep ok?". It was Steven asking her as she took a sip of her water.

" _Horribly"_ she thought to herself.

"I slept ok yeah" she lied. "I could've slept better though. It isn't where I'm used to sleeping after all". At least she was being honest.

"...Bullshit…" a voice spoke lowly. It was Lapis who intercepted her, attention fixed on her plate and the little food she started to eat. Peridot lifted her head, staring at the bluenette in disbelief.

"Excuse me?".

"You would've slept better had you stayed home. Everyone would've been better off that way". Lapis didn't even look at her as she said this.

It was then that something inside Peridot snapped. Like a rope being held by a thread, all it took was something slight to cause it to break.

She couldn't hold her tongue any further: Enough is enough.

"Are you for real Lazuli? How much _longer_ do you intend to keep this up?"

Everyone stopped as the room grew silent. Lapis still wouldn't look up, eyes glued to her plate.

"Hey, did you hear what I said? I'm tired of your shit attitude. Ever since you got here, you've been nothing but a miserable pain and unpleasant to be around. I get the whole past issues thing or whatever but Christ, bury the hatchet will ya?"

Lapis, moved to stone, didn't say a word. She looked up to reveal her stormy eyes, filled with resentment, that pierced through Peridot's emerald ones.

"...It has nothing to do with that…". She replied, voice cold and unforgiving.

"Oh yeah? Well, then I guess you have a talent for making yourself unlikeable. You've been doing great so far".

And with that last comment, Lapis had finally reached her tipping point. She didn't know why Peridot was able to get to her like this, but somehow, it was enough. Trying to desperately hold back tears of hurt and anger, she got up abruptly and stormed out the door, slamming it behind her.

"Oh geez" Steven remarked. He got up from his seat and rushed outside to tend to Lapis, leaving the others behind, still in shock over what just happened.

Silence filled the room.

"Uh…. Does anyone want more pancakes?" Pearl managed to say as a means to breaking the awkward silence.

"Hit me up Pearl" Amethyst replied. Eventually, everyone resumed as they were before and continued to hold conversations amongst themselves, but they couldn't help but casually wonder as to what was going on between Lapis and Peridot.

Peridot had no idea herself. In fact, she couldn't even believe how she'd allowed herself to lash out the way she had. Sure, she wasn't exactly the best at handling her emotions, but she knew herself to reach much more rational decisions than to act so readily on impulse. There was just something about Lapis that made her so furious, and she hated having those feelings towards another person.

She hated having those feelings towards Lapis.

At this point, all possible signs of hunger vanished entirely from Peridot's unsustainable appetite. She was too upset to eat, and so she got up from the table and left to go back upstairs. She felt eyes crawling over her from behind, but she didn't pay any attention to it.

She was never hungry to begin with anyways, so why did it matter now?

* * *

 **Yikes... What's up with Lapis? All will be explained in the next chapter. More to come soon!**


End file.
